Otherside.

As one final bated breath escapes
through slightly parted lips,
our soul begins to slowly rise up
and out from the centre of our chests.

Floating towards the clouds as it makes
its way home to the Other Side,
it takes its time to say goodbye
to the world it leaves behind.

The willow trees that made it dance,
the waves that soothed its stress,
goodbye to skyscrapers and automobiles,
 and all the people it loved best.

Arriving at a velvet rope,
it takes its place in queue.
Behind a massive, ornate golden gate
awaits an impressive door.

Passing through this portal
to another astral plane,
this spirit feels electrified,
its excitement can't be contained.

The passageway opens to reveal
a suspended diamond bridge that makes
the Golden Gate seem like it was made for dolls,
 suddenly the sweet, jasmine air
erupts into thunderous applause.

Below, the water is still and crystalline,
in shades of azure and teal,
blinking in disbelief,
you cannot believe that it is real.

People and animals crowd
every inch of the overpass,
upon closer inspection, they're all
your pets and loved ones from lives past.

They cheer your name,
ecstatic that you have finally come home,
you suddenly recognize families and lovers,
some you haven't seen since ancient Rome.

Beyond the bridge lies a fantastic marble fountain,
not unlike the masterpieces carved
by some of Earth's most talented men.

You stop to admire its magnificence,
taking the time to appreciate
every single detail of its
artistry and excellence.

Here, a siren is depicted luring
seamen into storms with her song;
a little further down, a mother sheep
looks proudly on whilst grazing with her flock.

Awestruck that this was
formed entirely of stone,
you trace your fingers along
its smooth rocky skin as cool as ivory and bone.

All around the fountain
is the greatest garden you have ever seen,
with labyrinthine lanes of lilies of the valley
from beyond your wildest dreams.

The air is thick with sweet, floral fragrances
that seduce the senses as they rotate between scents,
Moroccan roses one second
transform into Damask roses in moments.

Vibrating, your spirit feels at ease
now that it has returned,
the Other Side is where our souls advance
once we've run out of lessons to learn.

Aurora Borealis.

Everyday, at half-past-three the bell would ring, signaling the end of the school day.  And everyday Aurora Borealis would race from her classroom to the schoolyard, wanting to be the first student through the doors of Sedona Scholars Public School.  Aurora's appetite for adventure went into sleep mode in the mornings, and was awakened as soon as class was over.  She waited in the playground for her best friend in the whole entire world, Kelsey Crowley, who she couldn't wait to regale with stories of her latest quests.  Kelsey and Aurora had been friends since kindergarten and were basically inseparable, she wore thick black framed glasses, had three freckles on either side of her nose, and had wild brown curls that could not be tamed.  

Kelsey appeared through the heavy turquoise school doors and waved at Aurora.  Although she was smiling, her head hung low, and Aurora immediately knew something was wrong.  She hadn't become so good at solving mysteries without having a keen sense of observation.  

"Hey booger, what's eating ya?" Aurora called to Kelsey, whilst hanging upside down from the monkey bars.  

"I really wish I could tell you but my mother said I'd be in big trouble if I did," Kelsey replied, before clapping her hand to her mouth, knowing she'd already said too much.

"If you don't tell me right now, Kelsey Crowley, then I'm gonna tell Jacob you have a yucky crush on him!"  Aurora was relentless, and always knew the right way to get information out of her best friend.

"You better not or else our friendship's over, and that means no sleepovers all summer, no friendship bracelets, and no adventures!"  Kelsey stood her ground, and also knew the right strings to pull to get Aurora to back down.  

They continued back and forth like this for minutes, until Kelsey finally let it spill.  It turned out that her mother had heard from Aurora's grandmother Oma Val that her mom needed a place to stay, and would be back under the same roof as her, for at least a month.  

Aurora was devastated; she had spent her entire childhood repressing memories of her neglectful mother, and creating alternate scenarios of how she had arrived on this planet.  Truth be told, Aurora was terrified of her birth mom, and regularly had nightmares of the torment and abuse she had endured at her hands.  She felt completely betrayed by Oma Val, and could not understand how she'd allow this to happen.  She knew her mother was Oma Val's real daughter, but it wasn't fair or right, especially since she'd promised to always protect Aurora.  

Upon hearing the news that her mother would be spending the summer, Aurora sprinted into the woods, intent on living by herself.  She decided that if Oma Val did not care about her enough to keep her safe, then she would make her own home in the forest; erhaps she would even get adopted by wolves, just like Mowgli in the Jungle Book.  Besides, Aurora was strong enough to make it on her own and did not need any more grown-ups letting her down.

After losing track of how long she had been running, Aurora slowed down and decided she would practice howling at the moon.  If she was going to be a wolf, she had to be convincing so nobody discovered that she was really just a little girl.  

"Aa-oooooooh!"  Aurora laughed, pleased that her howl was quite convincing.  She spent an hour working on her howl, then set out in search for food, or at the very least a few berries to nibble on.  Her stomach groaned, reminding her of an injured rhinoceros she had once seen on TV.  She continued through the woods until she approached a tiny stream with clear, light blue water flowing through it.  Aurora knew from her Junior Campers Brigade that Arizona only had freshwater, which humans could drink.  She kneeled down and took in three huge gulps of the water, which was cold enough to make her shiver.

Aurora was having a blast!  Who needed dumb adults anyway, they never seemed to have any fun and only ever wanted to tell her what to do.  It wasn't until the sun started to fade behind the trees that Aurora felt the slightest bit of fear about the arriving nightfall.  Her mind began to run wild, and she was convinced within just a few seconds that Bigfoot was real and happened to live in this very forest.  It was going to be a long night, and as the sky darkened, Aurora regret her impulsiveness a little more.

At home, Oma Val and Aurora's mother, Sienna, were beyond erratic and beside themselves with fear.  It was nearly ten o'clock in the evening and there was still no sign of her.  They were accustomed to Aurora losing track of the time when she was on one of her adventures, but this was uncharacteristic of their little Magellan. 

"Sienna, how long ago did the police say they'd be here," Val inquired of her daughter, who was pacing the floors of her cozy home.

"They should be here any minute, ma.  I know I haven't been around much, but if Kelsey's right and this is all my fault, I feel even worse.  I'm a moron for thinking it would be easy..." Sienna's reply slurred at the end, right before she trailed off, rambling to herself in the corner.  

Even with her chest pressed tightly against a Mulberry tree for warmth, Aurora's teeth would not stop chattering, making her feel colder than she already did.  

"Aa-oooooooh!" She let out a soft howl, bummed her pack of wolves never arrived to welcome her.  She clearly had not planned this out properly.  With visions of her new wolfcub siblings in her head, Aurora started to nod off before letting out a loud yawn and falling asleep.  Tomorrow would be a new day, and she would learn the way of the woods, or else her name was not Aurora Borealis, and she was definitely NOT named after the northern lights.

Aurora woke up, feeling groggy and disoriented.  Her neck was in excruciating pain, and her back felt as though she'd slept on a cinderblock.  She yawned, rubbing her eyes, and then remembered she was all alone in the middle of the intimidating forest.  The canary moon looked like an entirely different planet to her because of the way it waned high in the dark sky.  Aurora whimpered, finally accepting that she was frightened, and that this had all been a no good, good for nothing mistake.  

It was far too late for her to try to find her way out of the woods; besides, Aurora knew it would be in vain.  She had taken many twists and turns in her excitement imagining her new life as a wolf cub.  She sat up, and started to cry.  Hot, sticky tears streamed down her face and stained her cheeks along their way down to her chin.  She wondered if Oma Val was looking for her or if she had even noticed that Aurora hadn't come home from school in the first place.  Aurora was sure Oma Val hated her guts though, and that she would never want to see her again.  She knew she was in the wrong but she was also used to the adults in her life growing tired of her and tossing her aside disdainfully.

The next morning, Aurora awakened to hear unfamiliar voices calling her name.  Not wanting to be discovered just yet, she ducked for cover behind a fallen, moss-covered log.  

“Auroooooora!  Are you there?  Aurora Borealis!” A voice called, amplified through a megaphone. 

Aurora watched curiously, excited by the prospect of having her own search party, but worried at the same time, that needing to be found would ruin her reputation.  After spying on her rescuers, and making them suffer for what felt like an hour, Aurora climbed out from her hiding place, and tapped an important looking man on his back.  

“Looking for me?” She asked, sheepishly, before wrapping him in a bear hug.  

“Miss. Borealis, it’s really you!  You nearly drove the whole town sick with worry,” the man replied, not wanting to upset her.  “So they sent me to see if I could lure you out of your hiding spot.  My name’s Sheriff Walter Legume, and I’ve heard all about your adventures.  Once we have you all cleaned up, I think I might have the perfect job for you, young lady,” 

Aurora took an instant liking to the sheriff, and rode on his shoulders, all the way back to the patrol car.  As Sheriff Legume alerted the rest of his crew of their success, Aurora sat in the passenger seat of his car, drinking an apple flavoured juice box, and playing around with the buttons and switches on the dashboard.  

As Sheriff Legume pulled up in front of Aurora’s house, Oma Val and Sienna rushed outside.  Once they exited the vehicle, Aurora hid behind her new friend’s leg, not wanting to face her grandma.  

“Special delivery for Val Borealis, safe and sound,” the sheriff let out a hearty laugh, and managed to keep the atmosphere light.  

“Oh, Walter!  I could just kiss you,” Oma Val beamed at him, before reaching a hand out to Aurora.  “Young lady, we need to talk!  I was worried sick thinking I’d lost you.  This latest adventure was too much, even for you but I’m happy to have you back.  I love you dearly.”  

Aurora looked at the ground, refusing to make eye contact.  She simply pointed at Sienna, scowled, and said, “Well you obviously love her more.  Why is she even here!”

“My darling, just like you need Oma Val, your mama needs me too.  I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I turned my back on my own daughter.  Everybody deserves another chance, and your mother’s promised to try her best,” Oma Val explained, doing her best to help Aurora understand.

Aurora yawned, feeling her will to fight begin fade away, and simply nodded.  She smiled and stuck her tongue out at Sienna, which was her way of extending an olive branch, and ran into Oma Val’s open arms.  The three of them walked back into the warmth of their house, ready to embark on their latest adventure, together.

Sins Of The Flesh.

Anders Bromley was, and always had been, exceptionally peculiar. Even as a small child, he preferred formal attire over the shorts and sports jerseys worn by his peers, and he had somehow developed a fondness for ascots as well. He never left home without the brass pocket-watch that he had polished obsessively until it became dull and faded from his overzealous attention. Needless to say his eccentricities did not fare well with others, and his only friend in the world was his pet armadillo, Ainsley.

Every morning, Anders arose from bed at exactly five twenty-one in the morning, as he had always had an affinity to that particular number. He stretched, stepped into his silk slippers, and started his day.

His life of introversion had afforded him the luxury of focusing on his career, which resulted in incredible success. Anders was the CEO of SpaceQ, the world's first (and only) space exploration outfit, which had made him rich beyond his wildest dreams. Although he developed a teleportation device that allowed humans to travel anywhere their simple minds could imagine, only SpaceQ possessed the rights to visit outer space.

Despite his fortune, Anders felt incomplete, and like something was missing. His thoughts often drifted to fantasies of having a family. He swiped away the tears that formed in the corners of his eyes whenever he daydreamed about his son, who he'd name Anderson or his daughter, Andreas. Anders knew that his wealth was meaningless without anyone to share it with, and he was finally about to change that.

Anders excitedly dialed his assistant's extension, "Priscilla, cancel my appointments for the day, and announce an emergency meeting at once."

As the board members arrived, one by one with varying degrees of concern, and confusion expressed on their faces, Anders burst into the room with the same force of one of his rockets breaking the sound barrier.

"As you're surely wondering—and with good reason, might I add, about the urgency of this meeting, it is with immense pleasure that I announce a company-wide incentive. Effective immediately, the first individual or team to successfully utilize my DNA, which will be provided, to produce my heir, or heiress, will be rewarded with the title of president of SpaceQ and a cash prize that is yet to be determined." Anders resembled a man possessed as he strided out of the room, smiling from ear to ear, and with a skip in his step.

Anoushka, SpaceQ's sweetheart, and leading biochemical engineer broke the silence, "He's gone completely mad! The implications of this experiment, if this gets out, will land us all behind bars."

A tall, strapping Scandinavian named Sven stood up to speak, "You silly girl, he only asked that we give him an heir, he never stated how. Cloning was your assumption! Surrogacy is also one of many options. Either way, you can start practicing calling me Mr. President."

The entire room burst to life with the hushed tones of private conversations as Anders watched them on camera, ecstatic that everything was going the way he planned. Satisfied they were distracted, he hurried out of the building, got into his caroplane, and flew off in the direction of his home.

Anders had taken the first steps to revealing his deepest secret. In time, one of his workers would discover the discrepancies in his DNA, and news of his truth would spread throughout the world in minutes. He smiled fondly at the thought his entire flight home, already imagining the bevy of babes that will soon be vying for his love.

As he arrived at his mansion, Anders handed his butler his custom gold-lace Prada cape, and loosened the Hermes ascot from around his neck. He took the elevator to his bedroom, and lovingly placed his pocket-watch on his bed. Anders removed his clothing then turned on his whirlpool jets. Finally, he removed his flesh, and a bald pygmy extraterrestrial with glowing bright pink skin slid into the therapeutic water and let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.

Art by Jacob Odrowski.

Nevermore.

Concealed from the world about me,
no self-imposed exile ever ends well.
Desperate for human contact,
a simple touch could break this spell.

Locked away like an unkind stranger,
my reflection is one that I'd rather avoid,
despite aiming to be more familiar,
the beast within me is easily annoyed.

Time has never been on my side,
my hopes died wishing on grains of sand,
with the demise of every enchanted petal,
I drift further away from being a man.

Then you arrived in my final hour,
as stagehands prepared the curtain call,
and just as easily you slipped away,
though I remain helplessly enthralled.

Solo.

I'd climb Everest's highest peak,
and swim across the Nile for you,
my love, you make me weak,
so I won't ever let you feel blue.

Nothing could stand in my way,
with me you'll never be lonely.
You brighten every single day,
say you'll be my one and only.

Trek through the Sahara sand,
I'd even fight a lion for its prey.
For you, no feat would be too grand,
as long as I could see your pretty face.

Nothing could stand in my way,
with me you'll never be lonely.
You brighten every single day,
Say you'll be my one and only.

I would scale the Eiffel tower,
over me you've got such power!
For you, no deed would be too kind,
I just need, I've got to make you mine.
Take you to the Emerald isle,
whether today, next week or in awhile,
you make me shine brighter than the sun, but you just don't seem to understand that...you're my only one, my only one.

Nothing could stand in my way,
with me you'll never be lonely.
You brighten every single day,
say you'll be my one and only.

New Delusion.

The soft crunching of eggshells
under marshmallow cushioned feet
echoes through paper walls
and out into the cotton candy streets.
Since all snowflakes are unique,
only compliments are to be received!
Even the clouds are padded here
in the land of make believe!

twenty-one.

Look all around you
at the
 emptiness
by which
w
e
'
v
e
been replaced.

The us
of
once
       upon
       a time,
and lands far,     far      away;

Look closely,
and you will see
it is inside ev'ry vase,
and can be found between
r     u    n     n   e        r    s
at every single race.

It's in
            the sorrowful song of
s e a s h e l l s pressed to one's ears.
A sound as silent as
c r i c k e t s
    pau          -        sing to rest whilst
rehearsing Rachmaninoff with their peers.

A vast, desolate w as t e land
is where it thrives!
Darkenclosedspaces
are where it shines.

It surrounds me
whenever my hand


sinks
to the very bottom
of a brand new
patent leather
                     bag.

All I need to do
is slide my fingers
into a glove to
know that it exists.

This emptiness I cannot
tolerate at all, and it must stop
...so I keep filling it with air
until I hear a joyful POP!

For it is in this emptiness
that I am forced to face my fears,
soon—emptiness will be extinct;
drowned in entire seas of my pent-up tears.